What I offer for your private, corporate, or family foundation

Every day, I read headlines about a foundation granting this or that many millions of dollars. It's a loser's game by which to be measured.

One, someone will make a bigger grant tomorrow. Two, you're so much more than grants. You are the story that made you a foundation; the mission that drives you; the community in which you work; the goals you set; your relationships; and what your mano a mano efforts. Then, you should talk money.

I've been staff for a state arts grantmaker, consulted with United Ways, written for private and college foundations, done media for grantmaker associations (and sat on two boards), and more. I know you're special. It's time to tell others.

Assist with major announcements, including initiatives, new studies, and changes in key personnel

For your community foundation

I'm hard pressed to choose just one highlight from years of working with now-retired (as if) President Alice Fitzpatrick of the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut. She and her hardworking crew brought me in to ask my famous "Who cares?" question about their 25th anniversary in 2008, and then to help them merge with another community foundation to the northeast a few years later.

For the 25th, we decided to give the gifts, namely a $1.5 million package of grants and endowments to 13 public libraries to ensure they will be around forever. The libraries have prospered as a result. Read about it.

Name it: bequest societies, donor advisor succession rules, investment policies, scholarship funds, spending rules, diversified portfolios, animal humane funds, endowed vs. non-endowed funds, community convenings, knowing everything about your community, its issues and strengths, and the wonderful people (including nonprofits) who are working to maintain the best and to fix the troublesome.

Admittedly, I am on the far end of being donor centric. For me, a great community foundation talks first about the services you offer to charitable people and only then about your discretionary programs (which were funded by those same people).

Here's how I might be useful to your community foundation:

Results-focused strategic planning, overall or for a specific aspect of your work.

Facilitate meaningful board retreats that "move the needle."

Offer capacity-building workshops for the nonprofits with whom you partner (you might call them "grantees", which is almost as bad as calling your fundholders "donors").

Offer counseling, support, ideas to communications, development, or program staff.

Conduct a thorough but constructive communications audit that reviews seven aspects of your "branding", from printed materials to social media to your word of mouth.

Revisit your "me, me, me" website so it says "you, you, you" (them). Then people will actually push the "how to start a fund" button.

Interviewing and writing stories. I’ve interviewed hundreds of charitable people at all levels of giving. It’s a major part of meaningful relationship building. I’ll show you how or interview your favorite giving partners. You should have a polished story and a delighted fundholder by the end.

Assist with major announcements, including initiatives, new studies, groundshaking gifts, and changes in top personnel.

The American Savings Foundation lives by its story. When the bank was absorbed by another, years ago, its independent charitable arm continued – and still does – to serve the communities where the bank had branches.

Second, yes, ASF gives grants and scholarships. But longtime president Dave Davison, whose retirement I helped announce, was a "hands on" guy, known for being everywhere and jumping into local issues with both feet.

We coordinated the messaging carefully with his successor, too: longtime CEO and scholarship innovator Maria Falvo, pictured above in the Bristol Press.

Dave summarized my involvement perfectly: "We didn't always follow your advice, but everything you recommended helped us think things through." When I laughed, he added, "I should have said that we didn't always adopt your suggestions, but your overall advice we certainly did follow. That's what we valued, along with your role as agent provocateur."